Ontario’s Country Music Pioneers:
Roni Sommers

Roni Sommers was born Debora Ann Harbottle in Clarksburg, Ontario. She first performed with her older brothers, Dean and Dale Harbottle, in the trio, “The 3 D’s. In 1975, she formed the group “Pride,” which included bass player Mike McCullough, who would later become her husband.

In the early 1980s, while working a show with her band at The Plantation Hotel in Hamilton, Debora Ann was “discovered” by Canadian music legend Dallas Harms, who urged her to record some tracks for radio airplay.

In 1982, Debora Ann recorded her debut album, “High Calibre”; at which time, she became “Roni Sommers” for stage and promotional purposes. The album was co-produced by Dallas Harms and Mike Francis and served up a steady series of nationally charted singles: ” You Really Go For The Heart”, “Hand Me Down Heart”, “In Between Heartaches”, “Heartbrakes” and “One Heart Away”. The sessions were recorded at studios in Toronto and featured musicians Mike Francis, Jim Pirie, Steve Smith, Kim Brandt and Barry Keane, among others.

Roni Sommers placed seven singles on the RPM Country charts, including the 1984 Top 20 single, “Hand Me Down Heart.

The recording success earned Roni Sommers the CCMA’s 1984 Rising Star Award.

Roni Sommers & Pride continued to be one of the top touring acts on the Canadian Country Club circuit, and Roni made guest appearances on several Canadian-produced Country TV shows, including The Tommy Hunter Show, Family Brown Country, and Sun Country.

In 1987, Roni delivered the self-written single, “I Wouldn’t Do That To You”; and in 1988, she teamed up with longtime music friend Vickie Van Dyke, releasing the duet single, “Someone’s Gonna Lose”.

By the late 1980s, Roni Sommers stepped out of the spotlight to raise her family. She has re-surfaced on the music scene in recent years, performing with her daughter, Callie McCullough, initially billed as “The Wildwood Flowers” and later as “The McCulloughs”.